It’s a measure of the populist nature of the Toronto International Film Festival that its top award is known as the People’s Choice. This year, as TIFF closed up shop for another season, the prize went to a riveting British/South African/Italian co-production called Hotel Rwanda. It was a good year for South African film in general at the fest, and also a strong year for documentaries. And just in case anyone had forgotten what country he was in, TIFF organizers released their official list of the top Canadian films of all time.
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Drunken Alien Conquers Toronto
No matter where you went during the Toronto International Film Festival, you couldn’t avoid Phil the Alien. The director, the stars, and just about anyone else associated with the film were absolutely everywhere at TIFF, and the exposure was no accident. “Within a week, this well-orchestrated buzz would lead to a Canadian distribution deal for Phil the Alien with Lions Gate Films.”
Suing To Save Orphan Art
“Valuable resources are being lost to students, researchers and historians because of sweeping changes in copyright law, according to digital archivists who are suing the government. These resources — older books, films and music — are often out of print and considered no longer commercially viable, but are still locked up under copyright. Locating copyright owners is a formidable challenge because Congress no longer requires that owners register or renew their copyrights with the U.S. Copyright Office.” The plaintiffs in the lawsuit want the right to create a digital archive of such “orphan works” for public use.
Fighting Over The Money Pool
The San Antonio Symphony’s strategy of bypassing the city’s arts board and lobbying City Council directly for funding appears to have paid off, as the SAS was awarded a $400,000 allocation last week. “But other cultural arts groups were left looking for answers — and more money. None of those 30 agencies received as much money from the city as they had requested, and some felt slighted by a council willing to break the rules for a high-profile, politically connected organization.”
And You Thought Job Interviews Were Tough?
Last fall, 56 of the finest cellists in the U.S. descended on Minneapolis to audition for a single open position in the Minnesota Orchestra. Some would flame out on the first phrase they attempted, while others would cloak their nervousness behind a veneer of professional calm perfected at countless other such tryouts. They would have less than ten minutes each to show what they could do…
Phil Orch Extends Contract
After a weekend of ominous noises from both sides, the musicians and management of the Philadelphia Orchestra have followed the lead of several other U.S. orchestras, extending their contract for 30 days in order to avert a strike. Both sides have also agreed to a media blackout, which would be a marked change from the nearly continuous potshots that flew back and forth over the summer.
It’s HBO’s Year (Again)
HBO trumped the broadcast networks yet again at this year’s Emmy Awards, taking home a record 11 awards for its miniseries adaptation of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, as well as the award for best drama, which went to The Sopranos. Fox’s critically acclaimed but low-rated Arrested Development won for best comedy, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart took home best variety honors for the second year in a row.
New Liability Law May Sail Through Congress
Tech companies and consumer groups are trying to persuade the U.S. Congress to hold public hearings before it adopts the so-called Induce Act, which would hold companies that manufacture file-trading software liable for the illegal actions of its users. The issue of secondary liability is far more complicated than many of the bill’s sponsors seem to realize, but Congress’s desire to pass some sort of serious copyright reform quickly may trump the need for further debate.
Napster, Take 3
Following the Napster name from pirate scourge to persecuted litigant to legit music company over the last few years has been dizzying. “Now in its latest reincarnation, [Napster’s current parent] Roxio has shed its CD-burning software business and plans to concentrate solely on selling and delivering music over the web. It will adopt Napster as its corporate name, trading under a new ticker symbol. The pure-play move will mark Napster’s birth as the name of a public company, but more importantly, arm the company with resources to help survive the rough-and-tumble as other deep-pocketed, powerful rivals enter the crowded online music space.”
Making It Big (Or Not)
Getting on the list of films to be screened at a major festival is a big step for an indie filmmaker, but it’s only half the battle. Distributors prowl the fests looking for indies to turn into the Next Big Thing, but for most fledgling directors, there’s no pot of gold waiting at the end of all the schmoozing and politicking.